Chanthaburi: The collapsed pedestrian overpass beam has been salvaged and traffic has been reopened. Officials are investigating the cause of the collapse of a large pedestrian overpass beam, under construction and worth nearly 7 million baht, blocking Highway 317 from Chanthaburi to Sa Kaeo. The beam has been removed from the road and traffic has resumed normal operations.
According to Thai News Agency, the incident occurred at approximately 10:20 PM when a footbridge beam collapsed at the construction site of a footbridge over Highway 317, Chanthaburi-Sa Kaeo, between the inbound side of Ban Mathai, Pathavi Subdistrict, and the central market of the Makham Mueang Mai Municipality, Makham District, Chanthaburi Province.
The incident caused traffic congestion throughout the morning and afternoon for over a kilometer. Officials scrambled to recover the remains of the overpass, coordinating the deployment of heavy machinery, including three backhoes, two backhoes with drilling heads, and a large crane. The contractor used two drilling heads to drill and break the concrete slabs, leaving only steel bars. They then used a welding unit to cut the steel beams and separate the pieces for easier transport. Backhoes then spread the remaining steel pieces onto the shoulder of the road.
As of 3:30 PM, backhoes and heavy machinery were able to clear all debris from the road surface. Department of Highways officials cleared away sharp metal fragments and other dangerous materials from the road surface and opened the road for normal traffic on both sides.
The overpass consists of two reinforced concrete pillars, a 2.4-meter walkway, handrails, and a roof spanning the entire 36-meter walkway, covering 1.4-meter-wide stairs for both ascending and descending. The construction cost was approximately 7 million baht. Prior to the incident, two cranes arrived to lift two reinforced concrete slabs, each weighing approximately 58 tons, onto the pillars of the overpass in a T-shape for workers to weld the steel fasteners together. At 10:20 PM, workers were clearing equipment and preparing to move the cranes out of the construction area when the bridge beam suddenly collapsed, shocking the workers who jumped to escape. No one was injured or killed, but only a truck and two cranes parked beneath the bridge sustained damage.
Mr. Apirat Chaiwongnoi, Director-General of the Department of Highways, stated that following the incident, all relevant agencies have been ordered to inspect the area and expedite management to restore normal operation. The incident occurred during the installation of a footbridge beam. The beam fell, hitting a 22-wheel truck belonging to a contractor parked beneath the beam and two cranes, causing damage. Engineers are investigating the cause of the accident to determine the exact cause. The construction contract, No. Chor Bor. 39/2568, dated March 17, 2025, is for the construction of a pedestrian overpass or underpass on Highway 317 between km 10+185 and km 10+186. The contract is valued at 6.56 million baht. The contract commenced on March 18, 2025, and will expire on September 13, 2025, for a total of 180 days.